Speech Language Pathology Jobs, Staffing and Clinical Development

Songs, Tales, and Fun for Fall

Posted on
October 12, 2017 by
Bilingual Therapies

There are so many ways to share the spirit of Halloween and autumn with kids. Take time to decorate your space and share some festive tales about the holiday seasons and tradition. If you prefer to stay away from Halloween, look to book on baking pumpkin pies, growing pumpkins, or look ahead to Thanksgiving.

Festive Stories and More

Each year there are more and more stories which are published about Halloween. Many share traditions about trick or treating, Halloween parties, and family fun. Most will include fun characters with ghosts, ghouls, Jack O’ Lanterns, leaves, costumes and more.

Some book options that work for a variety of age levels include:

Goodnight Good – A Petrifying Parody by Michael Rex

It’s Pumpkin Day Mouse by Laura Numeroff

Clifford’s Halloween by Norman Bridwell

Pete the Cat: Five Little Pumpkins by James Dean

Click, Clack, Boo!: A Tricky Treat by Doreen Cronin

Room on the Broom! by Julia Donaldson

The Legend of Spookley the Square Pumpkin by Joe Troiano

Take time to discuss the books together. Think about different social stories which are within each book Discuss how the story makes you feel, why you feel this way, and how the celebration is like yours at home. Each of these books would be perfect to read before starting a fun craft as a follow-up.

Sing a Song with Puppets

Songs are a great way to get kids moving and actively engaged. Several popular songs have parodies within books which kids can sing along to. A few popular titles are:

There Was an Old Mummy Who Swallowed a Spider by Jennifer Ward

The Spooky Wheels on the Bus by J. Elizabeth Mills

The Thirteen Nights of Halloween by Guy Vasilovich

There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bat! by Lucille Colandro

If You’re a Monster and You Know It by Ed Emberley

There Was an Old Monster by Rebecca Emberley

The tunes for these books will be familiar with most children. They are a wonderful activity to do in small groups. To get them more engaged, bring in some puppets to use when telling the story. Have children use the parts on crafting sticks, paper bags, or even pieces on a felt board to participate. Practice the songs together and think about performing them for others in school or families.

Remember to think about those who have multicultural backgrounds and may not be as familiar with Halloween traditions in the United States. Think about a book in a bag to send home and share with translations that may be needed. How would you connect sessions using these activities with those at home?

Do you have any fall activity suggestions for your therapy kiddos? Share them with us in the comments below!